


We'll Pull Through

by Wolf_Prince



Category: Star Trek RPF
Genre: AU, Couch Cuddles, HIV/AIDS, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-13
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-29 08:32:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1003254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolf_Prince/pseuds/Wolf_Prince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What will Eric do when he's diagnosed with HIV? How will Karl take it? Can Eric handle it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	We'll Pull Through

**Author's Note:**

> This story does include HIV and is sort of centered around that. This is my first posting and I thank my loving fiancee for putting me up to this. This is, while not a sexy romance, a story of homosexual origin. Enjoy your reading.
> 
> Oh and if you are unaware an aubergine in an eggplant. Don't ask why that's important, it just is.

 

Eric looked down at the paper in his hands, tears threatening to overflow. At this moment he couldn't contemplate how such a thing had happened. His breath came in ragged intervals trying to no avail to calm himself down.

 

HIV+. That's what the paper read. He threw the paper on the couch, covering his face and letting the tears fall. Dropping down to the love seat, adjacent to the couch, he tried to think back to when this might have happened. _Think back._ He thought, biting his lip in an effort to stop the tears.

 

It was a known fact that Eric was far to trusting when it came to sleeping around. The times he wore protection were few and far between, something his friend Simon had scolded him for often. He would take someones word for it if they said they were clean. He was under the belief that everyone had an obligation to protect each other in this.

 

Eric's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a knock on his door. His face shot up looking at the door. _Shit, Karl, how the hell am I going to explain this._ He got up and wiped his eyes. He had been seeing Karl for a year and a half now. While Eric refused to acknowledge him as a boyfriend, Karl's opinion mattered to him. Karl mattered to him.

 

Another knock came through the door, slightly louder. He moved quickly to the door straightening his shirt on the way. When he opened the door he was greeted by beautiful hazel eyes and a smile that could warm Antarctica. All Eric could do was stare at him. _I can't do this. If I tell him he'll leave for sure._

 

Karl let out a loving laugh. "You gunna let me in mate?" His kiwi accent lulling over Eric. This seemed to pull Eric back to the real world.

 

"Yeah, yeah sure." Eric's own Australian accent coming out soft and unsure. Karl gave him a concerned look as he walk into the apartment but said nothing of Eric's odd behaviour. Instead Karl turned to look at him as he closed the door.

 

"So did you get the results back mate?" Karl asked warily, trying to pull his pseudo-boyfriend out of his trance.

 

 _Oh God the results._ He stared wide eyed at Karl for a moment or two before smiling. "Yeah all good." Though he kept the smile on his face he was internally beating himself for it. Karl's cautious look was washed away at Eric's words and replaced with a more lascivious one as he walked over and placed a chaste kiss on Eric's lips.

 

"Then maybe we should skip dinner." Karl's arms moved to wrap around Eric's neck, playing with the ends of Eric's hair.

 

 _Oh that can't happen._ "Maybe another night. Work put me all out of sorts today." Eric said as he removed Karl's hands and kissing them lightly with a smile. While the action put Karl off he said nothing and let it be.

 

The dinner was spent in an awkward silence until wine was brought out. They talked about their work days and Karl reminded Eric that he had the day off the next day.

 

"Stay the night than. If you have the day off there's no harm." Eric said without a second though, wine clouding his mind. "Oh, and you're too drunk to drive home and my place is up the block." He added with a laugh.

 

After dinner they stumbled back to the apartment and went straight to bed, despite Karl's hopes.

 

***

 

The next morning Karl woke up alone. _Guess he left for work._ He thought tiredly getting up from the bed. He stretched with a groan before walking out to the fruit bowl. Grabbing an apple he walked to the couch and flops down.

 

He felt something crinkle as he sat and grab it out from under himself. _The test results. Guess it does no harm to scan good health._ He thought with a small laugh to himself. As he swept the paper something caught his eye. _What the hell?_ His face paled in a mixture of shock, hurt, and anger.

 

For the next six hours he sat there shifting between emotions. _I have to confront him. Nothing will feel right until I do._ As if on cue, Eric walked in and stopped short seeing Karl holding the paper.

 

"Why do you have that?" He asked, voice quivering. He closed the door to block out the inevitable fight.

 

"You lied to me." He stated, anger in his face. "I trusted you with my body and you lied!" His voice rose, reflecting his anger.

 

"You would have left! You would have left and I would be here all alone."

 

"Rake off, I would not and you know it. Why the hell would I keep asking if we were dating if I was just going to leave?" A look of outrage on his face. "I love you, Eric." At those words cause Eric to pause and look at Karl in disbelief.

 

"So, are you going to leave? Because I lied?" Eric asked, worrying his lip. Karl let out a sigh.

 

"No, but you screw me over again and I will. The last thing you need right now is me leaving you. Right now you need support, and that's what I'll be." The words seemed to break Eric down. He ran to Karl's arms and cried. "Yeah, yeah it's all fine."

 

Eric realized in that moment that everything was fine. Letting this man hold him and accept him was not the end of the world. Letting Karl know he felt just as much as he did would not make him run. While things wouldn't always be perfect, it didn't mean they would explode. He was wanted and that was really what he needed right now.

 

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I freaked out and I didn't know what to do." Eric said through tears and hugged tighter.

 

"I kinda had that one figured out you a **ubergine." Karl laughed out through the crushing hug.**

 

**"Did you really just call me that?" Eric asked with a choked laugh.**

 

**"Come on mate, which are you gunna do? Laugh or cry, you can't do both." Eric let go to laugh and wonder why he never noticed how much Karl had meant to him.**

 

**"Rake off you show pony." Eric said playfully swatting at Karl, who dodged with a laugh.**

 

*******

 

**They settled onto the couch after some time. Karl in the taller man's arms and Eric stroking the kiwi's hair. "Did you mean it?" Eric asked quietly.**

 

**"Hmm?" Karl was lost in the feeling of Eric's fingers in his hair.**

 

**"The whole, 'I love you' thing."**

 

**"Of course I love you, you Aussie arse." Karl laughs and nuzzled Eric's chest. He continued , his tone taking a more serious note. "So are you going to stop fooling about with other guys?"**

 

**"I suppose I will. I have to. I should probably just give up sex." Eric admitted with a sigh. Karl have him a queer look.**

 

 **"Don't be an idiot you** **a** **ubergine. You can have sex, no worries mate. You just need to wrap it before you tap it." Eric let out a laugh at the junior high phrasing Karl used.**

 

 **"I should go to the doc tomorrow. Get a check out, see my next step." Karl nodded in agreement. Eric bit his lip.** **_Should I ask? Would that be to rushed? Screw it time to find out. No more fear._ ** **"Well so since things haven't gone completely cactus, do you want to go out? Like date or whatever?"**

 

**"Yeah. but you know want I really want right now?"**

 

**"Not a clue. What?"**

 

**"For you to shut it and just cuddle me." They both laughed and spent the rest of the night cuddling on the couch, falling asleep in each others arms**

**Author's Note:**

> Do you're reader thing and tell me what you thought. If you're reading this, thank you for getting to the end.


End file.
